1. The sport of choice for the urban poor is BASKETBALL.
2 The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is BOWLING.
3 The sport of choice for front-line workers is FOOTBALL.
4 The sport of choice for supervisors is BASEBALL.
5 The sport of choice for middle management is TENNIS.
And....
6 The sport of choice for corporate executives and officers is GOLF. THE AMAZING CONCLUSION: The higher you go in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become.
There must be a ton of people in Washington playing marbles!
Wow, who would have thought that I'd be a part of the education world with creating classes, evaluating their need, creating content and offering suggestions to make it better? Who would have thought that I would have even considered it let alone love it?
I love it! I enjoy thinking of an idea, analyzing a need, coming up with a plan to deliver it and provide objects and goals to help the students learn the lesson being taught, no matter what the lesson is and then evaluating what we learned as a class.
I'm going to have to use what I'm learning in my classes and program in primary. I get it that primary and adults are WAY different but teaching is the same, the experiences are just different and in primary, you teach by the spirit, well in that same manner, all other classes too just that the spirit teaches about the reality of God, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, Jr.
I love teaching primary because it keeps my testimony grounded and it keeps my lessons simple and we get to color and play games and enjoy the sweet spirit as "little children" do. My 4 year olds are so cute and just absolutely hilarious.
Back to class, anyways, I've enjoyed this class so much that I'm going to create a program for UOPX to start an internship program. I had to create a class for ID one I'm in now and I'm going to piggy back off that and create 7 more for the program and present it to my division director for approval. It'll be awesome and updates will take place as needed for classes and students.
As for dating, it isn't happening. I've been blessed enough that I want to and I go places that take me out of my comfort zone and I go by myself and I meet a TON of nice people and when the time is right, he'll come along and we'll meet. I have a lot of things that I'm doing that will place my in a position to be around good, wholesome, edifying people and I'm grateful for that. A few activities that I'm going to do this summer include Les Mis in June, a birthday party dance in Jul, class in Jul, California OCBC Singles Conference in Aug and Hawaii in Sept. Wow, can we say BUSY. I was hoping to go to UT in Jun but my friend has flaked on me (no gender mentioned) so I'm unsure now if I want to spend the money and go or if I should save the money and use it to make a special trip to Molokai when I go to Hawaii in Sept.
I've even looked in to adoption. I'm going to attend a meeting in June in Mesa for a FAQ which will be kind of nice and it'll weed out who and what doesn't need to do it or should do it. I've always considered taking in a special needs child and after considering it, I'd still like to. They need love too and they need a good, stable home. We'll see. I'm just throwing around the idea. If I do this, my entire LIFE will change for the better and ground me and wow, it'll be life changing and I still need to prayerfully consider it.
I have some reading for class that I need to do so I'm going to do a little bit of that.
Who would have thought that if I decide to go to a dance on a Saturday night by myself that I would be hit on by men that are old enough to be my father? It was hilarious. Everyone that asked me to dance was very kind, some ugly, some short, some heavy, some very good dancers and others well, old enough to be my dad. Funny enough, I did give my phone # to the nicest guy there who has a daughter that is turning 30 in a couple of months. I even asked him if he was a pedophile and he was totally offended and got over really quick when I told him that I'd dance with him if he was honest. Yep, that worked!
There were very few youngins' at the dance and I mean, people that were under 40 however the older crowd was really tearin' up the dance floor. It was fun to watch and dance with them. The line dances are hilarious!
Who would have thought that if I had decided to go dancing with friends that any of these guys would have even considered to ask me to dance? Probably, oh maybe, 1.
I did homework on Friday and spent the time with my dog, Ka'le at the dog park which by the way is a hilarious place to meet people too. I am standing at the park and I see this young kid who barely finishes high school who comes with his dog (obviously) who starts to ask me questions on dating and then he says that he is an eagle scout, like that is supposed to impress me at his age and then I tell that he has to be Mormon and he said that he doesn't like to go because he can't do certain things, like have sex, which he swears he still hasn't done, which is fine, I don't care, I'm not there to judge him, just listen and then I tell him that he wouldn't worry about girls and all that childish stuff if he would go on a mission. He then tells me, well if I go on a mission than I can't do what I want. I then tell him the mission is NOT for him, its for the Lord and then Lord will make him whatever HE wants. He just looked at me and said thanks and walked away. It was hilarious. I don't think that his intention of talking to me was for someone to tell him to go on a mission, but rather pick up a girl, which I wasn't going down that road at all. Hilarious!
Right after the dog park incident, I jumped in the car and went to Glendale to have dinner with friends and meet new ones. It was awesome. I met a real guy named Buzzz. Yep, his name has 3 "z". His brother, Paul, looked just like Patrick Swayze and wow, he had the hair and everything they said was hilarious or unbelievable! My sweet friend Traci was there and I met a new friend, Candy. It was awesome. I went and say Dylan Dog with Traci after wards, not recommended at all.
Saturday I got up early, did some homework, worked on my lesson for primary and then went and saw Something Borrowed. It was so funny and very cute. 100 women were in the theater and there were about 10 men. Come on ladies, if the man doesn't want to be there, leave him home or let him go see his own movie.
I took Ka'le to the dog park at least 3-4 times on Saturday because I think that he deserves it since he is stuck at the house while I'm at work M-F.
My lesson went well in primary, the kids are awesome and they are soooo sweet. Weston just wants hugs and his words and talking are getting TONS better. Maggie is coming a true 4 year old. She is the youngest of the group and still wants to go with Sunbeams; cute.
Mothers Day has come and gone and nobody called me including my own mom nor did I call her because I was testing to see if she would even consider calling me, which I should know, she wouldn't and she didn't. I didn't send a present because I sent $$ to my dad a couple of months ago to buy her something so I'm hoping that the money was used for that gift. Those darn, E-Readers!
I have about an hour to go here at work and then I'm off to turn in my assignment for class. Its already done, I just didn't want to do it here at work and I didn't. Its saved at home ready for submission.
The Lord lives, he loves me and has given me a simple health trial, Iron Deficiency Anemia where I've had to go to the Ironwood Arizona Cancer Center for the past 5 days and have iron injected via an IV. It'll be at least 6 weeks to see if my body will take it. I read the scriptures every day and I'm sooo grateful for that. It is a life changer and if I ever miss a day, I feel like a dying cow :o(
I'm grateful for priesthood blessings and those worthy enough to give them. My home teacher and his son gave me a blessing for health and then my friend Craig and a guy from the ward, Dylan gave me one for peace and comfort and wow, the Lord knows us and knows our desires and needs and it has HELPED me out tons. That was all done last week too.
Craig had to tell me to not be so needy which is fine and to not be so clingy and it was funny to see the communication differences and the way that I respond to a question or plea. It was nice to see that he was still kind about it and I hope that I don't seem to be so crude or rude.
I've been learning a lot the past few weeks about myself and what the Lord has in store for me and what he wants and needs me to do. I've been VERY selfish since my divorce and my life has revolved around Karen and Kale (the dog). I have been cursed with Dr appts and healing concepts and precepts that are making me more humble and teaching me personal growth.
I have had a lot on my mind as well about what to do with school and do I really need to do another degree and with work and if I really need to keep working hard and killing myself in the process of doing it. I have thought a lot about my health too and what the Lord is giving me to deal with. Do I date multiple people or do I stick it out with one person. Do I ask people out and do I throw myself under the buss and let people tell me NO, they don't want to go out. I think that sucks as a single person in this life. I wish that people would just go out with one another to build friendships because, how else do you get to know someone if you aren't friends.
Why is it also that when I go to the singles activities, everyone is so friendly yet nobody asks each other to dance and we dance in large groups and circles and then when I am asked to dance, he is part of the living dead, meaning he is over 60? I don't want to dance and converse with someone that is over 60. What can we possibly have in common? Retirement? 401K? Health issues---probably the closest, but really. That person probably has a son/daughter my age and grand-kids that are pretty dang close ;o)
The past few weeks have been difficult. I have been diagnosed with Iron Deficiency Anemia which needless to say is sending me to the Ironwood Arizona Cancer Center for IV forced Venefer, which is an IRON through an IV because my body should be at 70 minimum and mine is at 11 so I'm Iron deficient. It makes me fatigued, my hair falls out in huge clumps and my skin is dry and like a lizard. I can drive H2O like its going out of style and it doesn't make a difference of the dryness of my skin at all. It just forces me to pee more ;o)
I have been keeping busy with my primary church calling. I'm so scared to be there with these sweet little 4 yr old kids yet I love them and they are so sweet. There are 4 in my class and 3 seem to be ADHD. 1 I just love and hold him and cradle him every moment I get. His name is Westen Lundell and he is sooo sweet. Maggie is the youngest of the 4 kids and her language development is coming right along. Its awesome to see their growth every week.
I have also bee keeping busy with doing temple work. I have a friend, Craig Bishop doing the work for the males that I have been blessed with finding and doing the Family History for. It's been awesome to get feedback about the progress that he is doing for those males who need to have their work down to have Eternal Life or at least a chance at it. I know that in the next life, they will embrace one another.
Which reminds me, I have been trying to decide to go to Molokai, Hawaii. I want to do the Mule tour to Kalaupapa, the leprosy colony or do the hike. I have been in contact with my family there trying to see if anyone will go with me and my Aunty Emily is like, no way man, I'm not riding a mule down a mountain cliff---so she's out so I'm trying to see if cousins will go. It'll be an experience of a lifetime to go. I am mainly going to do family history. I already bought my ticket to Hawaii for August 31 to Sept 8th. I can go to Molokai anytime in the middle there.
For the month of April, I kept pretty busy. I went with Craig also to the Mesa, AZ Easter Pageant. It was fabulous. The spirit was there and they were so wonderful and I know that if I was touched, there were others that were touched as well that are not members who are now progressing toward the waters of baptism.
I started my 3rd class for the MAED/AET program this last Tuesday. This one is all about Instructional Design. Something I know NOTHING about and I'm excited to read through my classmates postings to learn just the basics of it and to do the homework. I'll be getting some feedback from a coworker, Brandi, hopefully tomorrow about the assignment that is due tomorrow. I want to make sure I'm doing it right since she finished the program last year.
Kale got a sweet haircut. He looks so good and is so stinking cute. I'll be 7 in May and I've had him for 6 of those years. Wow, how time flies.
We had stake conference on Easter Weekend and that was FABULOUS. What an awesome experience. The prior stake president was released because he is leaving to be mission president in Argentina where he served his mission, many years ago and he is sooooo excited. The new stake president rocks based on his testimony and it'll be awesome to speak with him in August when I go to renew my temple recommend. The speakers, Elder Pearson and his companion made me cry on both Saturday night and Sunday as the talks were directed to me personally. I can't remember the companions name but apparently he lives here in the East valley somewhere. Anyways, I learned that even through trials and times of pure darkness, the Lords hands are always hold me up and always there to strengthen me and take me through that trial and darkness. I learned once again, that even though I am divorced for no fault of my own, that the Lord will carry me forward and move me to someone and somewhere that I need to be and can be. I was taught once again too that we are all given trials and dark moments so that I can see the joy and peace on the other side. Sometimes we loose sight of what we have and we take the blessings for granted. I have to say that I did that and now that I've been compelled to be humbled some more, I can see that concept as straight as the nose on my face.
Prior to attending Stake Conference, I packed up Kale and a few camping necessities that I had and drop up and met Craig and his kids at his parents house. We were going camping for the night. I was invited and I jumped at the chance to go to see if I could with a guy that I barely know and 4 kids that don't know me from Adam. Granted we had met but it was at an awkward situation and I didn't think that they'd remember me or want to hang out with me. I went thinking that I would basically do the observing to see what I can do to be a benefit on the lives of these 4 sweet children. I wanted to get to know each one of them and their DAD tons better. For me, it was very helpful to see what I could do as a "step mom" and "wife" or what I can't or WON'T do because of those titles. I was pleased to see that Craig and I actually thought and said some of the same things. He being their dad and me, just being the "childless observant friend".
I really have to prayerfully consider being a step mom and at my age, that is all I'd be anyways. I have to admit that I've had to change my way of thinking and to really humble myself that this life is not meant to be easy or to run from when times get hard. I've actually watched Craig and listen to him because a better person within the last 3-4 months since we've been friends. He has really changed and has really become a better dad and person because of the trials that he has had to go through with his ex-wife. From what I can gather, he has learned that he can't take life so seriously anymore and that when things are out of his control, there isn't any reason to stress out about the situation and from what I have learned in the passed year, I'd have to agree, you just go with the flow and take the situation to the Lord and everything will work out on its own time.
Anyways, back to camp; they had dinner, we played a few games, told a few stories and wow, that family doesn't sleep at all. These kids miss their dad something terrible so they tried to stay up as late as possible and talk with him and hang out with him. Little Michael was so exhausted that he was killing himself to not sleep. The 3 older kids, Kimorah, aka, Kim, Ryan and Kevin are just kids an were fighting the sleep bug too. We didn't push them to go to bed because why bother, let them talk and play and get all the bugs out they can with dad as they spent time with him.When it comes to sleep, I fit right in. I don't need much so when I'm up, I'm up and that is that and then when I do need it, I'm out cold. Little Michael didn't sleep well at all so kept dad up most of the night and then dad was checking on the other kids and woke me up right away and then I was up for the restless for the rest of the night, then Kevin got up a little before 5 and then the whole world was awake so I was up by 6 once again with very little sleep and I still had a LONG day to go.
I remember being younger, and I won't say how many years ago, but I do remember saying that I'd prefer to not get involved with a man that has children with an ex-wife being involved. I have learned that what comes around goes around and that my choices with being involved with a man with an ex-wife has nothing to do with what type of person that I am. I am who I am today because of the choices that I've previously made and the way the Lord sees fit. I was married to someone who tried my patience and stretched me thin and I didn't even know it and now that the Lord has taken me out of that situation, I am able to see life in a totally different light. I don't look at people the same way anymore nor do I hold myself accountable for choices and things that they've done in their life. I can't change them nor do I want to. All I want to do is be with them because of the type of person that they allow me to be and that we compliment each other and they continue to be the person that they want to be. I'm not trying to change anybody nor am I trying to making to myself like that person. Blah, blah, blah. I have friends and family because of who they are and they have made choices and have progressed in this life that we are able to help one another and Heavenly Father has placed them in my life for a reason that I'll never know or that I'll know right away. Blah, blah, blah. I'm just babbling.
Anyways, I'm getting ready to make some financial changes here at home. I'm getting ready to change the cable service over to the bare minimum and have Internet only because I don't want to spend $150 on TV and Internet when I don't watch more than 10 channels. I watch A LOT of TV but not worth $150 worth. That $$ will be used for SRP (AC bill) for the summer. The AC still isn't on and its May 1st and its great. The weather has been absolutely awesome and I'm lovin' it. I don't think I'll turn it on until the end of May which would be absolutely wonderful.
I need to get to bed and its only a little after 8 but I get up at 4 and walk Kale, read scriptures and get ready for work. I've started to take the light rail to work again and I love it. I save about 13 miles a day driving if not more and I save tons more $$ because I'm not out buying stuff I don't need during lunch.
I love the Lord and I love the Easter, Spring Season where the light is brighter and appears earlier and where the Light is what the Lord is and if I focus on him, everything else will turn out as Heavenly Father has planned for me and I need to accept that.
